As part of Solidarity Day, students at Minola Middle School wrote positive messages on the rocks in the school yard-such as "spread goodwill", "be positive" and "you are loved". Image source: Minola School District

Unity and kindness have always been hot topics in schools across Long Island.

Recently, tens of thousands of students have embraced these qualities through events commemorating Unity Day on October 20 and National Bullying Prevention Month that spans the entire October.

In Port Washington, students from Paul D. Schreiber High School and Carrie Palmer Weber Middle School participated in the "Unity Walk" activity, emphasizing respect for peers and preventing bullying. At the same time, the children collaborated on an art project in which they used orange cups to spell "kindness" and "unity" on the fence of Manorhaven Elementary School in the area.

"Unity Day may only be held once a year, but the values ​​and friendship it instills in our region are lifelong," said Michael Hines, Superintendent of the Port of Washington.

In Wantagh, students at Mandalay Elementary School participated in grade-level seminars on topics such as acceptance and tolerance, and then divided into groups to review common bullying scenarios and what to do in each situation. They also wrote positive messages on orange paper strips, which are connected to each other to form a "chain of solidarity."

In Lynbrook, children at Davidson Avenue Middle School read books about kindness and discussed what it means to be compassionate. They also wore orange clothes to show their support for those who were bullied, and sang Michael Jackson's 1991 song "Heal the World" together.

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In East Meadow, students from Woodland Middle School visited John Halligan, a Vermont man. His 13-year-old son Ryan committed suicide in 2003 after years of bullying and cyberbullying.

"Mr. Halligan has devoted his life to spreading awareness and prevention of bullying," said Woodland principal James Lethbridge.

In Huntington, students at Woodhull Middle School dressed in orange to show their support for those who were bullied and participated in the challenge, and they were asked to perform random acts of kindness. They also brought back the "Benevolent Treasure Hunt" to complete with family and friends.

“We encourage all families to do this together and continue to discuss the importance of goodwill at home,” said Woodhull social worker Catherine Giuliano, who coordinated the school’s celebrations with her colleague Mary Guzman Lewis.

In Lake Ronkonkoma, children from Hiawatha Elementary School participated in an anti-bullying rally hosted by Dialed Action Sports in New Jersey, which showcased BMX bike skills and combined information about bullying and how to mitigate its effects. The performers also asked them to remember the three "Rs": recognize what bullying is, refuse to be a bully, and respond by asking for help.

In Southampton, middle school students collaborated to create a "united quilt", which showed their ideas of acceptance, kindness and tolerance in the squares sewn together and displayed in the school corridor. This event was sponsored by the School Guidance Department.

In Shoreham, the Albert G. Prodell Middle School’s Leadership Club increased awareness of mental health issues and anti-bullying and environmental causes by writing positive messages on post-it notes posted throughout the school.

"Through this initiative, we hope to...encourage unity within our school community," said Caitlin Moriarty, a club consultant.

Marching bands from W. Tresper Clarke and East Meadow High School won first and second place in the 77th Annual Columbus Day Parade in New York City.

W. Tresper Clarke's performances include Chuck Mangione's "Children of Sanchez" and Ralph Ford's "Patriotic Finale", and East Meadow's performances include John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller".

"We are very proud of our students' professional ethics, attention to detail, and positive attitude," said Jessica Schenk, W. Tresper Clarke's music chairman.

Madelaine Hackett has been appointed as the head of the Gerald R. Claps Career and Technology Center at Nassau BOCES. She replaced Peter Dalton, who was the head of the Gerald R. Claps and Joseph M. Barry Vocational and Technical Education Center.

Hackett was formerly the assistant principal of Joseph M. Barry.

"Vocational and technical education is something I am passionate about," Hackett said. "Regardless of whether students eventually enter the field they are studying, they will realize what work and major mean when they leave."

Robert Rose has been appointed the principal of Smithtown High School East. He replaced Kevin Simmons, who is now the assistant director of teaching and management in the area.

Rose has served as the assistant principal of the school for 16 years and has been a health and physical education teacher in the area.

"I have cooperated a lot with other managers and staff to bring the school to its current high level," Ross said. "Of course I look forward to continuing to work hard."

Students at Westhampton Beach Elementary School recently raised more than $30,000 through Hurricane Fun Run for the school’s cultural and academic programs, which eventually caused the principal to sleep on top of the building.

This PTA sponsored event requires students to collect promises from family and friends based on their hard work in running circles on the high school football field. The principal, Jeremy Garritano, sleeps on the roof, and if the student raises more than $20,000, he will keep his promise.

Galitano said: "When we are united as a community, what we can achieve is extraordinary."

Many students learned about the importance of fire safety during the National Fire Prevention Month in October.

In Central Islip, during a visit to the Central Islip Fire Station, hundreds of students in elementary schools in the area learned a series of safety tips, such as the function of smoke detectors and how to safely leave a burning building.

In Islip Terrace, the children of Connetquot Elementary School explored fire trucks and learned about the various equipment used by firefighters in the introduction of the fire department in the small village.

At Cutchogue, students from East Elementary School have the opportunity to interact with firefighters in full outfits to prevent them from being afraid of first responders in an emergency.

In Island Park, students from Francis X. Hegarty Elementary School and Lincoln Orens Middle School learned to keep the ground low to avoid smoke and practice "stop, descend and roll" techniques during their visits to the Island Park Fire Station.

In Seaford, children are taught to make a family escape plan in the event of an emergency, and to practice escape through the windows of a fire safety trailer at Seaford Manor Elementary School.

In Rosslyn, students from the Highland School learned about the equipment on the fire truck during a visit to Rescue Hook & Ladder Company 1 in the village, such as the Jaw of Life.

Michael Ebert is an education researcher and has been working for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He is a member of the 11-person team of finalists for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize and is responsible for investigating and reporting on the security issues of the LIRR platform.

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